Rug cleaning machine



July 31, 1962 c. R. GLOCK RUG CLEANING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1962 INVEN TOR.

CHARLES R. GLOCK A TTORNE Y5.

July 31, 1962 c. R. GLOCK RUG CLEANING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1962 FIG.6

INVENTOR. CHARLES R. GLOCK A TTORNE YS.

3,046,774 RUG CLEANING MAQHTNE Charles R. Glock, R0. Box 847, Lima, ()hio Filed Jan. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 167,089 Claims. (Cl. 6339) This invention relates to improvements in rug cleaning machines.

Although rug cleaning machines in general utilizing continuous movement of the rugs past moving brushes are known in the prior art, the machine of this invention has a unique construction of a combination of elements providing a number of features, advantages and improvements over the known constructions.

In commercial rug cleaning, to be successful, a rug cleaning machine must produce quality rug and carpet cleaning on a production basis and should take up a relatively small plant area. The machine of this invention accomplishes both of these desirable aims and furthermore is inexpensive to construct with easily available, relatively inexpensive components.

Since various rugs to be cleaned by a rug cleaning machine will have different thicknesses and commonly there will be a variation in thickness from one side of the rug to another, it is desirable that a rug cleaning machine be adjustable to various thickness rugs and to accommodate changes in thickness of one rug from one side or end of the rug to the other. This machine incorporates a unique construction for accomplishing the foregoing.

Quality rug cleaning requires the removal of dirt embedded deep in the nap and pile of the rug. This is accomplished with the machine of this invention by utilizing high pressure discharge of a cleaning solution followed by thorough brushing and rinsing as well as additional subsequent brushing to produce high quality rug cleaning and to deep clean the rug or carpet.

A better understanding of the invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will be further understood from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevation view of the rug cleaning machine of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional elevation view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the passage of a rug to be cleaned through the machine and the operations accomplished on the rug;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the rug cleaning machine;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view taken from the left side of the machine as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a right side elevation view taken from the right side of the machine as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3; and

FIG. 6 is a detail 'view illustrating the connection and drive for the reciprocating rug cleaning scrub brushes.

In general, the rug cleaning machine of this invention contemplates continuous and automatic cleaning of rugs and carpets producing a high quality, deep cleaning job. The machine includes a support frame on which is supported belt transports for carrying a rug to be cleaned through the machine. A spring supported scrub table backs up the belt transport and a plurality of reciprocating scrub brushes are positioned over the belt transport to contact a rug or carpet carried thereby. The spring supports of the scrub table allow for variations in thickness of the rug. In addition, the scrub table is vertically adjusted to allow for different rugs of substantially different thicknesses to be cleaned. The reciprocating scrub brushes are driven transversely to the direction of rug travel by a driving means which includes the cylinder blocks and pistons of available in line automobile engine blocks. In addition to the brushes, the machine incor- $046,774 Fatented July 31, 19 62 porates a jet cleaning manifold with a plurality of jet nozzles for directing cleaning fluid at a high pressure against the rug before it moves under the brushes. Between the rows of reciprocating brushes is a spray rinse. Following further brushing, the rug passes to a further spray rinse and then the washed and rinsed rug i carried by pick up belts away from the machine.

Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of the invention in its preferred embodiment; a support base it? constructed of structural steel beams 11 and plates 15 is provided with four upright structural steel standards 12 to function a four corner supports of the brushing portion of the machine. Braces 14 are provided to brace the upright supports 12 to the base 10. Connecting struts 17 and 19 connect the top of the four upright supports 12.

For transporting a rug or carpet R to be cleaned through the cleaning machine, a plurality of transport belts 16 are provided, see FIG. 2. These belts may carry small pins 18 or any other suitable mean for engaging and moving the rug R through the machine. The transport belts 16 are endless belts trained around pulleys 2t and 22. As shown in FIG. 3, these pulleys are mounted on shafts which in turn are supported by suitable bearings 24 at each end thereof and the bearings are in turn supported on steel beams 25 extending outward a shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The pulley 22 at the rear of the machine is adapted to be driven for driving the belts l6 and transporting the rug through the machine.

A scrub table 28 as shown in FIG. 2 is provided to back up the transport belts 16 across the entire width of the machine. The scrub table 28 is supported from vertically adjustable support bed plates 30 which are adapted to move vertically upward and downward, guided by guides 29 on the upright supports 12, see FIGS. 4 and 5. The support bed plates 31, include spring supports 31 underneath the four corners of the scrub table 28 and the scrub table is entirely resiliently supported by four leveling springs 32, one at each corner on each support 31. These leveling springs at the four corners of the scrub table allow the table to' level a it is vertically raised and also allow for compensation due to a rug of varying thickness from one side to the other. The vertical bed plates 30 are fastened to a transverse support beam 34 which is contacted by a pair of adjusting jacks 36 and 38, FIG. 1. Operation of these jacks can raise and lower the scrub table to fractions of an inch to compensate for various thicknesses of different rugs to be cleaned.

Supported near the top of the uprights 12 at each side of the machine are a pair of six cylinder in line automobile engine blocks 49 and 42 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Engine block 42 includes pistons (not shown) while engine block 4% includes not only pistons 41, but also connecting rods 23 and a crank shaft 45 as shown in FIG. 6. A plurality of bristle scrub brushes 44 are secured to scrub brush supports 46 and the ends of these scrub brush supports 45 are connected by a pin connector 48 to the pistons 41 of engine block 46 as well as to the corresponding pistons of engine block 42, as can be seen in FIG. 3.

By the use of standard six cylinder or eight cylinder in line automobile engine blocks and pistons and crank shafts for reciprocating the brush rods, considerable expense can be saved in the construction of the machine. These cylinder blocks also already have lubricating systems installed to insure little wear on the moving parts and they are readily available a previously manufactured parts.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a spray rinse pipe 50 having a plurality of jet nozzles along the bottom side thereof is positioned between the rows of reciprocating brushes to spray rinsing water downwardly against the rug R being cleaned. In addition, additional spray rinse pipes 58 and 60 are provided as shown in FIG. 2 to straddle the rug R being cleaned and to further rinse the rug as it drops vertically off of the transport belts 16.

For applying a cleaning fluid or solution to the rug prior to entering under the brushes, a cleaning fluid manifold 52 is provided having'a plurality of jet nozzles 54 in the lower surface thereof. This manifold is fastened by means of angle clamps 55 to the front reciprocating brush 44 as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the jet nozzles are reciprocated and a cleaning solution applied thereto at high pressure through the jets downwardly onto the rug being cleaned. The impact of the cleaning solution cleans the material before entering under the brushes and penetrates into the nap of the carpet to break away soil all the way from the top of the pile through to the bottom of the nap raising the soil to the top to be scrubbed off and eliminated by the brushes. The jets 54 and the reciprocation of the manifold 52 allow for even distribution of the cleaning solution to the rug. The spray rinse manifold 52 may be connected by means of flexible line 56 to a motor driven The rugs, after being cleaned in the main portion of the machine and sprayed by spray rinse pipes 58 and 6 3, are carried away from the machine by take up belts 62, FIGS. 1 and 2. These take up belts are trained around idler pulley 64 and drive pulley 66. The pulleys in turn are mounted in suitable bearings and supported from rearwardly extending support frames 63 and 65 as shown, for example, in FIG. 3.

The drive for the transport belts 16 and the take up belts 62 is from an electric motor 68 connected to a speed reducer 70 mounted on frame plate 15 at the right hand side of the machine as shown, for example, in P GS. 1 and 5. The power train output from the speed reducer includes a drive chain 72 trained over a drive sprocket 74 on the shaft of pulley 66. Another sprocket 76 on pulley 66 is also provided with a drive chain 73 which in turn is trained over a drive sprocket 75 on the drive pulley 22 for the take up belts 16. Thus, motor 68 through speed reducers 7t and the chain drives 72. and 73, drives both the take up belts 62 and the transport belts 16 in synchronism.

For powering the reciprocating brushes, another elec- V tric motor 78 is provided at the other side of the machine,

see FIGS. 1 and 4. Driving motor 78 drives V belts 8f connected over a pulley 82 on a pulley shaft 84 supported from braces 14. Also, on pulley shaft 84, is a chain drive sprocket 86 over which a chain drive 88 is trained and this chain drive is also connected to a chain sprocket 89 at the end of the crank shaft 45 of the engine block 4%). By this is means, motor 78 through pulley 8i and chain 38 rotate the crank shaft =45 and it in turn reciprocates its pistons 41 within engine block 40. The pistons 41 of them line cylinder block 49 in turn reciprocate the brushes 44 in synchronism and the other end of the brushes are sup ported by reciprocating pistons slideably mounted in conventional practice in the engine block 42.

The drive for the adjusting jacks 36 and 38 is from a hand wheel 90 which has train d around a hub thereon a chain drive 92 also trained around sprockets on the jacks for actuating the jacks 36 and 33 in synchronism.

Since all carpets or rugs to be cleaned are not the same thickness, the scrub table 23 which is raised by the jacks rug is not the same thickness from one side to the other,

the pressure on the thick side of the rug will cause the thin side of the rug to raise and the brushes will contact the rug fairly evenly to assure a uniform cleansing.

The operation of the machine is believed to be apparent from the foregoing, but a brief summary will now be given.

Rugs to be cleaned are fed into the take up belts 16 and are picked up by the carrying pins 18 or any other suitable friction means and are carried into the machine. The rugs first come into contact with the jet of cleaning fluid issuing from jet reciprocating jet nozzle 54 in the cleaning fluid manifold 52. This high pressure jet forces the cleaning fluid throughout thenap of the rug raising the dirt tothe surface. The rug with the cleaning fluid thereon is then brushed as it is continually travelled by the belt 16 by the plurality of brushes 44 all operating against the nap of the rug while the rug is backed up by the vertically adjustable scrub tabs 23 and the rug is leveled throughout by the resilient support of table 28, accomplished by springs 32. Part way through the array of brushes, a spray rinse is applied to the rug through spray rinse manifold 5i Thereafter the rug is carried by the endless pick up belt past further brushes 44, over pulley 22 and the rug falls vertically downward Where it is contacted by two spray pipes 58 and 6t), spraying water on opposite sides of the rug to clean ofi any remaining cleaning fluid thereon. The rug is then picked up and'carried on out of the machine by take up belts 62.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and detail of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A continuous automatic rug cleaning machine com prising; belt transport means for carrying a rug to be cleaned, a scrub table backing'up the belt transport means and being resiliently supported for leveling, a plurality of scrub brushes positioned above the belt transport means cluding pistons, connecting rods and crank shaft, means connecting the electric motor to drive the crank shaft and means for connecting each piston of the engine block to each scrub brush, jet nozzles for injecting a cleaning fluid on to the rug to be cleaned, a cleaning fluid manifold carrying the jet nozzles and attached to the first of the plurality of brushes, and spray rinse nozzles for rinsing the rug after it has been contacted by the brushes.

2. A rug cleaning machine as defined in claim 1 further comprising pick up belts for picking up the rugs after being rinsed and carrying them away from the machine.

3. A continuous automatic rug cleaning machine comprising in combination; a support frame, endless belt transport means supported from the support frame for carrying a rug to be cleaned through the machine, a scrub table backing up the endless belt transport means and vertically adjustable on the support frame, resilient leveling means for leveling the scrub table, a plurality of reciprocable scrub brushes positioned above the belt transport and adapted to contact a rug to be cleaned carried by the belt transport, an automobile engine block having in line cylinders connected to the brushes to drive the brushes when the crank shaft of the automobile engine block is rotated, jet nozzles carried by the lead reciprocating brush for injecting a high pressure jet of cleaning fluid onto the rug to be cleaned, a spray rinse nozzle positioned intermediate the plurality of brushes for rinsing the rug after partial cleaning by the brushes, and further spray rinse nozzles for spraying rinse water onto both sides of the rug after being carried by the transport belts, and pick up belts carried by the support frame for carrying the rug away from the machine after being rinsed.

4. A continuous automa ic 111g cleaning machine comprising; belt transport means for carrying a rug to be cleaned, a scrub table backing up the belt transport means and being resiliently supported for leveling, a plurality of scrub brushes positioned above the belt transport means and adapted to contact a rug to be cleaned, motor driven automobile engine block means for driving the scrub brushes in a reciprocating manner, and means for injecting a cleaning fluid onto the rug to be cleaned.

5. A continuous automatic rug cleaning machine comprising in combination; a support frame, endless belt transport means carried from the support frame for transporting a rug to be cleaned through the machine, a scrub table backing up the endless belt transport means including jacks for vertically adjusting the scrub table on the support frame, resilient leveling means for leveling the scrub table, a plurality of elongated scrub brushes positioned above the belt transport and adapted to contact a rug to be cleaned carried by the belt transport, an automobile engine block having in line cylinders connected to the brushes to reciprocate the brushes when the crank shaft of the automobile engine block is rotated, another similar engine block with pistons connected to the other ends of the brushes for guiding the same, jet nozzles carried by the front reciprocating brush for injecting a high pressure References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 13,934 Ruhe Sept. 21, 1915 137,177 Case Mar. 25, 1873 371,515 Nowotny Oct. 11, 1887 614,087 Chatburn Nov. 15, 1898 1,564,453 Shampay Dec. 8, 1925 1,934,749 Tingle Nov. 14, 1933 2,656,701 Harten'bach Oct. 27, 1953 

